LEANNE BOWIE LAWYERS - Key Persons
Kaylene commenced with Minter Ellison in 1993 and remained until 1997 (when she took time to work in the UK as a planning lawyer for the London Borough of Haringey), and then worked with Minter Ellison again from 1999 to 2005, focussing on planning and environment.
In 2005, she left legal practice to work as a Director in her own family business VetShopAustralia Pty Ltd, which is now Australia's largest on-line retailer of animal health products and was the winner of the Telstra Business Award (People's Choice) in 2011 and State finalist in 2014.
Kaylene commenced with Leanne Bowie Lawyers in April 2015 and currently advises primarily for the private sector, principally with respect to planning and environmental law relating to mining, oil and extractive industry. She has advised private sector clients in respect of planning issues relating to infrastructure charges and agreements as well as environmental issues relating to vegetation and changing development approvals. Kaylene has assisted in applications to the Planning and Environment Court of Queensland in respect of obtaining approvals and changing development conditions. She has advised extractive industry in respect of planning and environmental matters, in particular relating to water and vegetation issues. She has undertaken many due diligence processes for major clients (including government), addressing heritage, contamination and environmental and planning issues.
In 2023, she was also appointed as a sessional academic, teaching workshops in Planning Law courses at Griffith University, at an undergraduate and a postgraduate level.
Kaylene has a particular interest in Ministerial call-in powers, and the interface between local and state governments' respective roles and powers in the planning system.
Kaylene has been recognised in Best Lawyers 2022 and 2023. This is a publication based on peer reviews to identify consensus opinion of leading lawyers within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Queensland Resources Council 's Environment Committee
- Special Counsel
Michelle Wille joined Leanne Bowie Lawyers in 2012, having previously worked as a special counsel with Allens Arthur Robinson (now Allens Linklaters). She was with Allens Arthur Robinson for the period 2006-2012 and before that, Minter Ellison (1999-2005). Michelle's early career provided her with experience in real estate and property development, including for a number of government-owned corporations.
Michelle primarily advises mining, gas and oil companies and has a particular focus on environmental and tenure related due diligence, including tenements, regulatory mapping and approvals and identifying environmental and other planning constraints for these projects. She also has experience with projects in the quarrying and timber industries.
Michelle is currently an alternate member of the Queensland Resources Council's Environment Committee and has previously been a member of the Queensland Resources Council's Waste Working Group.